Visit your favourite destinations
Western Europe
North America
Caribbean
Africa
Asia
Eastern Europe
South America
Australasia
Middle East
East Indies

A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Almeria SE Spain (Spring '97 and '98),

Dirk Raes

For several years I have been guiding birding-tours for the tourist-agency Ro-Travel in coorperation with the ornithological society De Wielewaal (Belgium). During 1997 (15.04-22.04) and 1998  (07.04-14.04.98) I led birding-tours to Costa Almeria - Andalusia - Spain. Here is some information on this very good birding area.

An ideal place to stay is Hotel Sabinal / Urb. Roquetas de Mar. You can contact the reception (Yolanda, Kazimiero or Paco) or the director (Antonio Magan) on tel. (9) 50.33.36.00 or fax (9) 50.33.35.33. These people are very helpful. I gave the director a Spanish birdbook. He promised to learn 10 birds daily :-)

You can mention my name and just say 'Ola' from me. These people are very helpful.

Ask also the permission to the Junta De Andalucia, Consejeria de Medio Ambiente, before visiting certain of the nature reserves.

The hotel is situated in the center, although you can find Hoopoe (U. epops) early in the morning around the swimming-pool.

Just go out by the garden and do some sea-watching. This resulted for us in several Cory's Shearwater (C. diomedea) and Mediterranean Shearwater (P. yelkouan). Every day we also saw Northern Gannet (M. bassanus), Little Tern (S. albifrons), Common Tern (S. hirundo), Sandwich Tern (S. sandvicensis). Special on 21.04 saw a Razorbill (A. torda).

Walking around in the center you can find easy Sardinian Warbler (S. melanocephala), already with young birds, Hoopoe (U. epops) and passing over, groups of Little Egret (E. garzetta). We saw a group of 36 on 16.04!

First the list of 1997 afterwards the one of 1998. During both years the same areas were visited.

1997.

Paraje Natural de Roquetas - Punta Entinas - Sabinar:

only 20min. from the hotel and good birding areas (desert-like places, some water and reed, salinas, dunes, beach,...).To be short: a place to go for several days.

Night Heron (N. nycticorax),  Little Egret (E. garzetta), Grey Heron (A. cinerea), Purple Heron (A. purpurea), Greater Flamingo (P. ruber), Shelduck (T. tadorna), Red-crested Pochard (N. rufina), White-headed Duck (O. leucocephala) several also with young, Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus), Kentish Plover (C. alexandrinus), Little Stint (C. minuta), Dunlin (C. alpina), Ruff (P. pugnax), Spotted Redshank (T. erythropus), Redshank (T. totanus), Greenshank (T. nebularia), Wood Sandpiper (T. glareola), Black-winged Stilt (H. himantopus), Avocet (R. avosetta), Stone Curlew (B. oedicnemus), Pratincole (G. pratincola), Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus), Little Gull (L. minutus), Black-headed Gull (L. ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus), Yellow-legged Gull (L. cachinnans), Audouin's Gull (L. audouinii) even four colour-ringed, Black Tern (C. niger), Bee-eater (M. apiaster), Short-eared Owl (A. flammeus), Hoopoe (U. epops), Short-toed Lark (C. brachydactyla), Lesser Short-toed Lark (C. rufescens), Calandra Lark (M. calandra), Crested Lark (G. cristata), Thekla Lark (G. theklae), Woodchat Shrike (L. senator), Great Grey Shrike (L. excubitor), Sardinian Warbler (S. melanocephala), Subalpine Warbler (S. cantillans), Fan-tailed Warbler or Zitting Cisticola (C. juncidis), Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica), Black Wheatear (O. leucura), Spanish Sparrow (P. hispaniolensis), Spotless Starling (S. unicolor), Golden Oriole (O. oriolus),

Several other excursions were made - to target specific birds:

Las Amoladeras (from Almeria, take the road to Cabo de Gata, after Retamar, along the road you will see Mirador and Centro Visitantes, follow the track).

Most of the already mentioned Larks and Warblers. Additional: Peregrine (F. peregrinus), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (P. orientalis), Great Spotted Cuckoo (C. glandarius), Bee-eater (M. apiaster), Hoopoe (U. epops), Woodchat Shrike (L. senator), (Mediterranean) Great Grey Shrike (L. e. meridionalis),  Pied Flycatcher (F. hypoleuca), Spotted Flycatcher (M. striata), Whinchat (S. rubetra), Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica).

Paraje Natural Cabo de Gata - Nijar (the same as above, just continue towards Punta Cabo de Gata and Punta Negra). We saw over the sea several Cory's Shearwater (C. diomedea) and Mediterranean Shearwater (P. yelkouan). This rocky area, the driest place of Spain (150mm. rain/year), just raises out of the sea. Several Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica) and even more Black Wheatear (O. leucura). The best was a Rufous Bush Chat (C. galactotes) at about 30m. Also very good were two Scorpions !

In the afternoon we visited the Salinas Cabo de Gata: the same birds as in the Salinas close to Roquetas were found but as extra Roller (C. garrulus) and very good sightings of Stone Curlew (B. oedicnemus).

Paraje El Desierto, near to Tabernas. (take the parking from Mini-Hollywood, but go left up to Cerro del Orro (1197m.). Very desert-like area (some spaghetti-movies like Once upon the time in the West have been made here).

Birding-result: Golden Eagle (A. chrysaetos), Rock Dove (C. livia), Red-rumped Swallow (H. daurica), Blue Rock Trush (M. solitarius), Crag Martin (H. rupestris).

We had some time left to go to the Ramblas (dry riverbed) of Tabernas.

Sierra Alhamilla (6 km. east from Nijar) and the NW-surroundings Nijar-village.

Some of our observations: Red-legged Partridge ( A. rufa), Nightingale (L. megarhynchos), Sardinian Warbler (S. melanocephala), Subalpine Warbler (S. cantillans), Woodchat Shrike (L. senator) and incoming migration from Bee-eater (M. apiaster).

Paraje Natural Cabo de Gata - Nijar (the same as above, only just out of Retamar turn right direction Ermitage de Torregarcia).

Along the beach some migration of Turnstone (A. interpres), Sanderling (C. alba), Curlew (M. arquata), Whimbrel (N. phaeopus).Due to the rainy weather Swift (A. apus) was flying very low. This gave us the occasion to observe several Pallid Swift (A. pallidus).In the afternoon we made a visit of the Alcazba, a high situated fortress. Worth to visit as a cultural aspect, for the birders we had very good (being higher) view of Pallid Swift (A. pallidus) and a male Subalpine Warbler (S. cantillans).

1998.

This trip was, compared with last year, one week earlier. But what a difference !

The  first five days a very strong wind (about 80km/h.) was blowing. Despite the extremely bad weather in the rest of Europe, we had always sunny weather and temperatures around 16°C Celsius. The last three days were just perfect: no wind at all and around 22°C Celsius. 

The hotel is situated in the center, near the sea and the Hoopoe (U. epops) is still around the swimming-pool. Just go out by the garden and do some sea-watching during the morning. Almost every day we saw Northern Gannet (M. bassanus), Common Tern (S. hirundo), a lot of Sandwich Terns (S. sandvicensis). A good one was on 10.04 the Red-throated Diver (G. stellata) and the next day a group of about 70 Greylag geese (A. anser). Extremely remarkable was the almost total absence of Shearwaters (Puffinus sp.). This year, while walking in the center, the Sardinian Warbler (S. melanocephala) was not so common.

Tuesday and Wednesday 07-08/04:

Paraje Natural de Roquetas - Punta Entinas - Sabinar / Almerimar:

Night Heron (N. nycticorax) six on a morning coming into the reeds,  Little Egret (E. garzetta) and checking a group better we found two Cattle Egrets (A. ibis), a probable - and very quick view -  Purple Heron (A. purpurea), some hundred Greater Flamingo (P. ruber), one couple White-headed Duck (O. leucocephala) close to the center, one female Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus), several Kentish Plover (C. alexandrinus), Little Stint (C. minuta), Sanderling (C. alba), several Dunlins (C. alpina) -some already in summer plumage-, Spotted Redshank (T. erythropus), Redshank (T. totanus), Greenshank (T. nebularia), Wood Sandpiper (T. glareola), Black-winged Stilt (H. himantopus) -which are now breeding in this area-, a migrating group of Whimbrels (N. phaeopus), a great observation of a Stone Curlew (B. oedicnemus), all together eight Pratincoles (G. pratincola) -one couple was parading-, Black-headed Gull (L. ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus) - some colour-ringed-, Yellow-legged Gull (L. cachinnans), beautiful observations of the Audouin's Gull (L. audouinii) -two birds colour-ringed-, Black Tern (C. niger), one Bee-eater (M. apiaster), a couple Hoopoes (U. epops), Lesser Short-toed Lark (C. rufescens), Crested Lark (G. cristata), Thekla Lark (G. theklae), several Woodchat Shrike (L. senator), Sardinian Warbler (S. melanocephala), several Fan-tailed Warblers or Zitting Cisticola (C. juncidis), Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica), Spotless Starling (S. unicolor), Pied Flycatcher (F. hypoleuca) and Nightingale (L. megarhynchos). These are some of the species occurring in this great area.

Several other excursions were made - to target specific birds:

Thursday 09/04:

Las Amoladeras

Most of the already mentioned Larks and Warblers. Additional: a Little Owl (A. noctua), about 15 to 20 (always in couple and max. 5 together) Black-bellied Sandgrouse (P. orientalis), probably the first (only five) Bee-eaters (M. apiaster), Hoopoe (U. epops), two Great Grey Shrike (L. excubitor) and close to the information center a Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica). During the afternoon almost no birds due to -again- the wind.

Friday 10/04:

Paraje El Desierto, near to Tabernas.

Birding-result: not so much, due to the hard wind, only one Crag Martin (H. rupestris) and an Alpine Swift (A. melba). A good observation were the several Dartford Warblers (S. undata) into our scopes.

Saturday 11/04:

Sierra Alhamilla (6 km. east from Nijar) and the NW-surroundings of the Nijar-village.

Some of the observations: two fighting male Red-legged Partridge ( A. rufa) seen from the bus (distance five metre!) -later several birds seen-,  some Sardinian Warblers (S. melanocephala), a Little Owl (A. noctua), a couple of Black Wheatears (O. leucura) and twice a couple of Rock Buntings (E. cia) very good in the scopes.

During the afternoon we visited the village of Nijar -and for the birders take direction old windmill-. Along this path we had superb views of Red-rumped Swallow (H. daurica), a second year Golden Eagle (A. chrysaëtos) harassed by two Peregrines (F. peregrinus) and a Blue Rock Trush (M. solitarius).

Sunday 12/04:

Paraje Natural Cabo de Gata - Nijar (the same as above, only just out of Retamar turn right direction Ermitage de Torregarcia).

Due to the first day without wind, Swift (A. apus) was flying very low. Several Pallid Swifts (A. pallidus) were also seen. Also the already mentioned warblers.

In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Alcazba, a high situated fortress in Almeria city. The gardens of this place were full of Serins (S. serinus).

Monday 13/04:

Paraje Natural Cabo de Gata - Nijar (the same as above, just continue towards Punta Cabo de Gata and Punta Negra). Over the sea only two  Northern Gannet (M. bassanus).

One Black-eared Wheatear (O. hispanica) and sure ten Black Wheatears (O. leucura). The place is known for Trumpeter Finches (Rhodoperchys githogines zedlitzi): we twice saw a couple. Two birds were even looking for nest material. A female Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus) came 'out from the sea' on migration north.

In the afternoon we visited the Salinas Cabo de Gata: the same birds as in the Salinas close to Roquetas were found but as extra a White Stork (C. ciconia) and extremely good views -all together three- of  Stone Curlew (B. oedicnemus). Very good was also the Spectacled Warbler (S. conspicillata). High in the sky twelve Bee-eaters (M. apiaster) migrated north. Black-winged Stilt (H. himantopus) -which seems to breed in this area- was good, but more Avocets (R. avosetta) were in this salinas.

Dirk Raes mail me

Where to watch birds in Southern and Western Spain
Ernest Garcia and Andrew Paterson: Buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

  • The reprint and update of this excellent book have been long awaited. I have birded in this region of Spain many times and yet I still have much to learn, Garcia and Paterson are the experts. Where else in Europe can you see five species of swift in one day? Did you know that Ruppel's Griffon Vulture is now regular in part of the region? New sites have been added and access details thoroughly updated. Areas covered include birding hotspots such as Extremadura, Gibraltar and Ronda. A "must buy" if you are traveling to Southern Spain.

 

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?